Circular-knitting machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

v D. P. MILLS.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE. No. 433,182. Patented July 29, 1890.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. D. P. MILLS.

GIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 433,132. Patented July 29, 1890.

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(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 3.

D. P. MILLS.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 433,132. Patented July 29,1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DTVIGHT P. MILLS, OF NAUGATUCK, CONNECTICUT.

CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,132, dated July 29,1890.

Application filed February 28, 1889i Serial No, 301,576. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I DWIGHT I. MILLS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Naugatuck, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new.

and useful Improvements in. Circular-Knitting Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in circular-lniitting machines; andthe objects of my invention are to provide a new and efficient means forautomatically changing the length of the loops or stitches in varioussections of the fabric, and also to provide means for knitting adividing line or mark between such sections.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of myknitting-machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the main portionsthereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the main portions on the line mas of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the cam-cylinder, theplane of section being at right angles to the line 50 at of Fig. 1. Fig.5 is a vertical section of the cam-plate and cams for the horizontalneedles, the plane of section being indicated by the line y y of Fig. 6,and Fig. 6 is a horizontal section thereof on a line just above theslide and cams, the periphery of the cam-plate being indicated by thebroken circle.

The machine which I have selected to illustrate my improvements is onewhich has a series of vertical needles operated in a needlecylinder inconnection with a series of radially-moving horizontal needles forproducing a ribbed fabric, which. machines are well known and do notrequire a detail description. The needles are not illustrated in Fig. 1,and only a portion of them are indicated in Fig. 2.

A designates the bed of the machine, upon which the cam-cylinder B isformed or mounted, within which cam-cylinder the needle-cylinder C andvertical needles to are mounted, said cylinder carrying with it the headD, Fig. 3, for revolving the horizontal needles I), all in the ordinarymanner. The cam 7, Figs. 3 and a, of the cam-cylinder which depressesthe vertical needles, is adjustable up and down, and is acted upon bythe inner ends of the levers 8, which inner ends engage said cams byentering holes therein. These levers are pivoted to stationary studs 9upon the bed A, which pivots serve as their fulcra. The outer ends ofthese levers are provided with adjustingscrews 10, passing through saidlevers with their lower ends in position to engage the cams 11 on thecam-ring 12. Each cam has an incline or bevel at its nose or forward endfor engaging the ends of said screws and raising those ends of thelevers 8, which incline is followed by a flat supporting-face on whichthe ends of said screws rest when fully elevated, as shown most clearlyat the right in Fig. 2. I prefer to provide each of said screws with aset-nut 13, to secure them in their adjusted position. The cam-ring isalso provided with the adj listing-screws 42, which act as stops tolimit the upward movement of the cams '7. This cam-ring is rabeted atits inner edge, so that it rests upon and is centered by the circularouter edge of the bed A, as shown in Fig. Q.

Mounted on the framing in rigid bearings is a vertical rock-shaft 14,carrying a rigid arm 15, which lies in a recess in the cam-ring, of anyproper form-as, for instance, that formed by the vertically-projectingpins 16 16 011 said cam-ring-whereby a rocking motion of the shaft 14will give a partial revolution to the cam-ring 12, so as to throw itscams under or out from under the ends of the adjusting-screws 10 of thethe cam-operating lovers 8. The rock-shaft 14: is also provided with anarm 17, whose outer end is connected,

preferably, by a bolt-and-slot connection with the link or pitman 18,the opposite end of said pitman being connected to the upper aria-of theangle-lever 19, which lever is pivoted to the frame of the machine, asat 20, Figs. 1 and 2, the lower short arm of said angle-lever restingimmediately over the pulley and shaft 21, that carries the pattern-chain22. A spring 23 has one end bearing upon the upper arm of said angle-lever while its other end is seated in the frame of the machine,giving said spring a constant tendency to force the lower short arm ofsaid an glelever down upon the patternchain. The shaft 21 is operatedintermittently by means of a lever 2i, carrying a pawl 25, which actsupon the ratchet-wheel 26, for each reciprocation of said lever. Thelever 24 is operated in one direction by the spring 27,

Fig. 2, and in the opposite direction by the cam 28, which cam rotateswith the needlecylinder and gives one stroke to said lever for everyrevolution of said cylinder.

E designates the cam-plate for the horizontal needles, said plate havingon its under side .the middle cam 29, which pushes the needlesoutwardly, and the two cams and 31 for drawing the needles inwardly. Ialso provide this cam-plate with a cam-slide 32, to which one end of thecam 31 is connected, said cam 31 being pivoted to the cam-plate at 33,so that it may be moved out or in to bring it into the position shownfor drawing in the needles, or so that it maybe swung outwardly farenough not to draw in the needles. The cam 30 is stationarilyaffixed inplace. The cam-slide 32 is connected to a pitman 34, the opposite end ofsaid pitman being connected to the upper arm of the angle-lever 35, thelower arm of said angle-lever lying immediately over the pattern-chainshaft and by the side of the lever 19, before described, bothangle-levers being pivoted to the same shaft. This lever is also heldtoward the pattern-chain by a spring 36, the same as the lever 19 is-soheld by the spring 23. The backward movement of the lever 35 under theinfluence of the spring 36 is regulated by means of the ad justing-screw 37 in the cam-plate E, the end of which adj usting-screwstrikes against the screw 38 that connects the pitman 34 with thecam-slide 32.

Prior machines have heretofore been provided with pattern-chainsoperated by the means herein shown and described, and withspring-pressed angle-levers for operating various parts of the machine,and in some instances such levers have been employed for operating acam-slide to move both of the cams under the cam-plate E, that draw thehorizontal needles inwardly, and therefore I do not claim these parts ofthemselves.

I employ only one pattern-chain for operating both of the angle-levers19 and 35, and I provide said chain with a series of narrow links, asshown at the right-hand side of the shaft 21 in Fig. 2, and with aseries of higher or broad links 39. (Shown at the left-hand side of theshaft 21 in Fig. 2.) Ialso provide the first one of the broad or highlinks 39 with a side cam 40, Figs. 1 and 2, which cam projects farenough to one side to engage the roller in the lower angle-arm of thelever 35. Upon the shaft 21, at a point immediately under the roller oftheangle-lever 35, is a wheel to limit the backward movement of saidlever under the influence of the spring 36. This wheel, as illustrated,has its periphery formed of a piece of a chain; but its func tion is thesame as an ordinary plain pulley. lVhen the machine is at work, with thenarrow links passing over the shaft 21, the spring 23 holds theangle-lever 19 and connected parts in such a position that the cams 11are carried under the ends of the adjustingscrews 10 of thecam-operating levers 8, the

inclines of the cams passing said screws, so that they rest on the flatsupporting-faces at the top of said incline to hold up said levers 8,thereby holding the cams 7 of the cam-cylinder B in their most depressedposition, so as to draw the vertical needles downward andproduce a loosefabric with long stitches for certain portions of the garment. When thebroad or high links of the pattern-chain engage the roller of theangle-lever 19, said lever and connecting-link 18 will be operated tomove the rock-shaft 14, and through its arm 15 partially rotate thecam-ring 12, so as to throw the cams 11 wholly out from under the screws10 of the cam-adjusting levers 8, thereby permitting the cams 7 to beelevated, whereby the vertical needles will not be drawn down so far,and consequentlya shorter stitch with a firmer fabric will be produced.In addition to the tension of the yarn, the springs 41 will operate toelevate said cam-operating levers and cams. The adj ustingscrews 42 maybe turned, so as to stop the rise of the cams 7 at any desiredelevation, while the adj usting-screws 10 may be changed in position, sothat said levers will depress the cams 7 a greater or less distance, asmay be desired.

In order to make a dividing-mark and give the appearance of a seambetween the sec: tions of short and long stitches the-side cam 40 on thefirst one of the broad or highl'inks 39 acts upon the roller of theshort arm of le-' ver 35, thereby pushing the link 34 and camslide 32 ina direction to throw the cam 31 outwardly, whereby the horizontalneedles will not be drawn inwardly during one course and consequentlywill not knit, thereby forming a course of what is known as theroyalribbedfabric to make a dividing-line between the two sections-as,for instance, between the body of a sleeve and its cuff. After the sidecam 40 has passed from under the roller of the angle-lever 35, themachine will knit the regular ribbed fabric the same as when the narrowlinks are passing under the levers, excepting that the broad and highlinks act to produce a firm and close fabric with short stitches, andthe narrow links produce a looser fabric with longer stitches. Asillustrated, there are only two cams 7 and two operating-levers, but itis evident that these may be increased in number as may be de' sired,and all of them be operated simultaneously by the one cam-ring 12.

By making the cams 11 each with an inclined face and a flat face at thetop of said incline, the machine is particularly adapted to have thecam-ring 12 moved automatically, as it does not have to be stopped withgreat nicety at any particular point so long as it moves far enough tobring the flat faces under the ends of the screws. It also enables me toraise the lower ends of the screws 10 of the levers 8 to a certain pointand to vary the throw of the needle-cams 7 by adjusting devicesintermediate said flat faces and needle-cams.

I am aware that the application of George E. Nye for an improvement inknitting-machines, filed January 9, 1889, shows in combination a seriesof levers, needle-actuating cams mounted on the inner ends of thelevers, and a hand operated adj usting-ring common to the series oflevers, the outer ends of said levers resting upon the inclines of saidcommon ring, and I hereby disclaim the said combination.

I claim as my in vention- 1. In a circular-knitting machine, thecombination of the cam'cylinderhaving the movable cams '7, thecam-operating levers 8, camring 12, having cams 11, a pattern operatedby the machine, and operating devices intermediate said pattern andcam-ring for operating said cam ring, substantially as described, andfor the purpose specified.

2. In a eircular-lniitting machine, the combination of the cam-cylinderhaving the movable cams '7, the cam-operating levers 8, catnring 12,having cams 11, a pattern, the rock shaft 14, and connecting mechanismbetween said pattern and rock-shaft, the latter having one arm connectedwith said cam-ring, and another arm connected with thepattern-controlled mechanism, substantially as described, and for thepurpose specified.

3. In a circular-knitting machine, the combination of the cam-cylinderhaving cams 7, the cam-operating levers 8, having the ad- 3'Listing-screws 10 at their outer ends, the cams 11, for acting on theends of said screws, and mechanism for operating said cams,substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

4. In a circular-knitting machine, the combination of the cam-cylinderhaving cams 7, the cam-operating levers 8, connected therewith,mechanism for operating said levers, and the adjustable stop-screws 41,for limiting the upward movement of said levers and cams, substantiallyas specified.

5. In a circular-knitting machine, the ca1ncylinder having the cams 7, apattern-chain,

and connecting mechanism for automatically controlling said cams, thecam 31, for producing the inward movement of the horizontal needles, theside cam 40 on said patternchain, and the angle-lever 35, one arm ofwhich is engaged by said cam 10, and the other arm of which is connectedto said needle-cam 31, substantially as described, and for the purposespecified.

6. In a circular-knitting machine, the camplate E for the horizontalneedles, having a fixed cam 30 and a movable cam 31, for producing theinward movement of said horizontal needles, the angle-lever 35,connecting mechanism for said lever and movable cam, and a pattern-chainhaving a single cam 40, for imparting a short stroke to said lever formoving said cam 31 outwardly and letting it back to change the stitchfor a single course, substantially as specified.

7. In a circular-knitting machine, the combination of the vertical andhorizontal needies, the cam-cylinder, the cams 7, for moving saidvertical needles, the cam 31, for controlling the inward movement ofsaid horizontal needles, a pattern-chain having a connected series ofnarrow links, a connected series of broad links, and a side cam 4:0 atthe junction of said two series, and connecting devices between saidpattern and respective needlecams, substantially as described, and forthe purpose specified.

8. In a circular-knitting machine, the combination of the cam-cylinderhaving the needle-actuatin g cams, a series of cam-operating levers, acam-ring 12, common to said series of levers, and the cams 11, mounted011 said cam-ring 12, and having at the top of the incline of each cam 11 a flat supporting-face, sub stantially as described, and for thepurpose specified.

DWIGHT P. MILLS.

Vv'itnesses:

GEO. G. CROGG, J. E. ROLLINSON.

